Lunch Dates
by HecateA
Summary: Everyone half-way decent is suffocating under the new regime, but Tonks and Arthur are thankful not to be alone. Oneshot.


**Author's Note: **Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **The following characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and this story derives from her original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warnings: **NA

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**Stacked with: **MC4A; Shipping War; Hogwarts; Rays of Blades; Not Commonwealth

**Individual Challenge(s): **Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Seeds; Golden Times; Old Shoes; Themes & Things A (Friendship); Themes & Things B (Prejudice); True Colours; Rian-Russo Inversion; In a Flash; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon Redux

**Representation(s): **Wizarding War; Metamorphmagus Tonks

**Bonus challenge(s): **In the Trench; Surprise!; Muck & Slime; Second Verse (Odd Feathers); Chorus (Middle Name)

**Tertiary bonus challenge: **NA

**Word Count: **918

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_**Hogwarts Submitting Info**_

**House: **Ravenclaw

**Assignment: **Assignment #3, Public Services #1 — Write about maintaining law and order in the Wizarding community.

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**Lunch Dates **

People could say what they wanted to say about Arthur Weasley's career, but this much was true: he had always done something he profoundly loved. Never, until this coup d'état had profoundly changed the dynamics of his world, had he dreaded going into work—not on Mondays, not on budget meeting days, not on weekends, never. Of course now every day was a nightmare. If he thought they could get away with it without endangering the many members of his family, he would tell Molly that they should take Ginny out of Hogwarts and leave the country entirely. They'd even bring the ghoul masquerading as their youngest son with them for authenticity's sake. Besides, he was quite good at cribbage. Sometimes Arthur daydreamed of that once his alarm went off and he wanted to wallow in bed longer—he, Molly, and Ginny sitting somewhere in the Medditerenean instead of trying to coexist with this awful regime… and the ghoul, of course. Well, if it so desired.

He stepped into the Ministry that morning and tried not to look around at his new surroundings for too long. The grotesque marble statue, the new executive orders that hung like drapes, the new colours that hung, the infrastructure put in to surveille them… He doubted that those Christmas decorations he liked so much would be making an appearance in a few short weeks.

He sighed and kept his head down, wondering if he'd be the first in the office or if someone had perhaps already put on a pot of coffee. That seemed quite the pathetic silver lining, but so be it.

That was when he crossed the pack of Aurors who were standing near the elevator.

"Protocol is to call this in to Control and Regulations of Magical Creatures," he heard Tonks say. She propped a hand on her hip impatiently as she said it. "If we don't notify them, that's grounds for the Wizenmagot to dismiss the case on charges of malpractice, this is basic magical law—can someone just go down and notify them to make sure that we haven't just wasted hours of work, here?"

Her purple hair was braided back and her Auror robes were left open over her protruding belly—it occurred to Arthur that the Aurors perhaps didn't have maternity clothing. There had been a lawsuit a few years ago on the subject, when three women Aurors had brought that to the court's attention, but perhaps the fallout had yet to be executed… Merlin knew that "people" ranked quite low on the Ministry's list of priorities, nowadays.

"Tonks should do that then," an Auror he recognized as Selwyn (who was actually a Death Eater without a lick of proper training or ethics) said. "She's the expert in all things creature."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you mean," Tonks said, crossing her arms stubbornly. "Protocol, may I remind you, would _also _be for Burrard to go down since he made the arrest. In a shocking turn of events, this is _also _basic magical law everyone here should be familiar with."

"Maybe you'll run into your sweet husband down there," another Auror said tentatively. There were a few chuckles.

"Highly unlikely, jackass, he's got better things to do," Tonks said. "Burrard, are you going to go down or not?"

"You should go," Burrard said. "That cub of yours is going to have to know the way down there soon, anyways."

Before Tonks had to bite back, Arthur found herself crying her name out.

"Tonks!" he said happily.

She spun around along with all the other Aurors, and he clasped her hand.

"There you are—it's been ages," he said.

"Hello Arthur," she said, smiling politely. "Always good to see you."

"What are the odds," Arthur grinned. "Wow, we really should catch up… do you have any plans for lunch today? I was just going to go grab a bite at the cafeteria myself, but I would love it if you could join me…"

He turned back to the other Aurors and gave them a glare. Tonks looked from him to the rest of them.

"I don't think you're invited," Tonks told them. "Care to look alive?"

As they dissipated, she turned back to him.

"I'd love to Arthur," she said finally. "My break's at 11:30. Hey, Burrard! Magical Creatures is downstairs, aren't you forgetting?"

Arthur turned and saw Burrard freeze as he was about to follow the other Aurors into the elevator back up to Magical Law Enforcement. He stepped out and glared at her before going into another elevator.

Tonks turned back to look at Arthur once they were all gone.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"You were doing quite well on your own but I thought… well, you shouldn't have to be doing this on your own," Arthur said quietly.

Tonks smiled. "Don't tell Remus, okay? I can handle them, they're all bark and no bite, and I honestly don't mind. I know who I am and I stand by my choices. But he already worries so much, and he feels helpless in all of this…"

"Okay," Arthur promised. "I won't. Does this happen often?"

"About as often as you have to de-gnome a garden," Tonks said with a grin. "Everyone needs a hobby, I suppose."

Arthur grinned back.

"Still, they're bullies trapped in the fourteenth century. I doubt they'd pick on you when you're not alone. I'll see you at 11:30 for real, okay? Lunch is on me."

"I'm looking forward to it," she smiled.


End file.
